It was not until our newly redeveloped website launched last month that I realized how much anticipation and pressure has been fueling my life this past year.

We had been navigating the big switcharoo from the old to the new, dealing with glitches, roadblocks and the truly impossible. But now it’s (mostly) behind us. If you missed last month’s blog describing why we made the switch, detailing the ordeal/minor miracle that occurred and how Artificial Intelligence became our new best friend, you can read all about it at the following link: A New Website and How Our Good Buddy A.I. Came to the Rescue.

I’ve decided to utilize this month’s blog to reflect back to the time I, myself, first began posting articles online. The year was 2007, and we were still hot and heavy into publishing the paper & ink version of our senior newspaper. While we’d had a website for at least five year’s prior, it was basically a placeholder for our contact information and to inform readers where they could find copies of Northwest Prime Time out in the community. The print publication would hold our focus for 15 more years before we transitioned to online-only in 2022.

Back in 2007, the website was basically a pesky hassle to contemplate while pulling all-nighters trying to meet deadlines for the snorting, steaming presses that awaited us each month. However, I did start posting articles on a very minor homepage that year. I count 16 articles for the entirety of 2007. That’s basically one-third the posts in a single month these days.

It’s always interesting for me to look back at articles from days gone by. Below is a sampling of those first 16 articles posted on our website in 2007. The content still seems fresh to me after all these years.

• Retirees Live Free in Luxury: “Rich people do not like to leave their houses empty. The solution is simple, have someone else live in their homes while they travel. Retirees are ideal.” The article describes The Caretaker Gazette, a unique newsletter listing thousands of housesitting and caretaking job opportunities in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and dozens of other countries. The newsletter has since become a website (of course!) — learn more at HouseSit.org.
• A Riddle for Travelers: “The riddle: How can you travel to countries, learn about their culture, and actually give back to locals — and not just by spending money there? The answer: Voluntourism.” Local writer, Joyce Major — author of Smiling at the World, lists resources including books, websites, and her own voluntourism classes. Read the original article at the above link, or check out her website: JoyceMajor.org
• In the article, Feed Your Passion, Teresa Verde writes, “It is said that in Beethoven’s later years, his hands were so crippled with arthritic pain that he could barely move them. Yet each morning when playing the piano his hands transformed, as though by magic, flying nimbly and freely across the keyboard. Feeding your passion can do that. We forget the aches, pains and limitations while we’re lost in doing what we love. Time flies and our spirit soars. We become energized and invigorated beyond our years. Having a passionate pursuit gets us out of bed in the morning. It gets us through the rough spots and gives balance to our life.”
• Dr. Ann Thomas, psychotherapist, educator, grandmother and storyteller, tells us that as we age, we become more aware of the importance of happiness. In the article, Encore: The Pursuit of Happiness in the Second Half of Life, she urges us to pursue our values, do something you’ve postponed, connect with others, “Make Lemonade” from problems, and to be yourself.
• We posted several articles on senior living resources in 2007, including: Remodeling with an Eye to the Future, which outlines how you can remodel your home to “age in place” safely; Downsizing Boomer-Style illustrates the downsizing process through personal experiences. “In deciding what to keep, Ware devised a three-question test: What do we need? What do we love? What do we use?” 2007 also saw articles with helpful hints on how to choose a retirement community, and knowing when it’s time to move.
• Nostalgic essays can be found in our 2007 archives, including two heartfelt essays in honor of Father’s Day: On Fathers and Halibut Cheeks and A Father’s Day Memory. Another nostalgic essay, by W.E. Reinka, New Car Smells and Other Scents of Autumn begins: “Ah autumn. Falling leaves, jack o’lanterns, and car buying, Car buying? When I was a kid, my dad always bought cars in the fall, working a clearance deal on last year’s models as new models flooded the showrooms.”

Thank you for joining me on this quick journey down memory lane. My wish for you is that your current life is creating meaningful, enjoyable memories that your future self will look back on with deep fondness and gratitude.

Enjoy your summer!